Dennis isn't nearly as awful or funny as Junior from Problem Child - Dennis the Menace (1993) Discussion

[–] PaladinNJ (21525) 7 months ago

Junior is sadistic. Dennis is not. He just gets in trouble A LOT!

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[–] Tina (725) 7 months ago

For the name Dennis the Menace you would think that the kid was actually a menace.

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[–] DancingintheDark (1671) 7 months ago

Dennis was a menace, to Mr. Wilson as well as to Switchblade Sam , albeit and innocent menace, did you watch the film?
Junior was an intentional menace which makes him more of a menace, so yes you are correct in that regard but as to Problem Child being a funnier film, I disagree, I prefer the innocent and charming humor of Denis the Menace, to the sadistic and intentional, problematic behavior of Junior, and DtM still makes me laugh out loud every time I watch it, which PC does not, but to each their own.

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[–] Tam87 (1253) 7 months ago

Problem Child 1 & 2 are surprisingly funny movies. This film Dennis was written by John Hughes so there's a lot more heart put into the characters and story.

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[–] Tina (725) 7 months ago

There was a lot of heart put into the characters in the Problem Child movies. Junior found a loving father, and he calmed down a lot.

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[–] Tam87 (1253) 7 months ago

John Ritter was the heart and soul of the PC movies, and why they worked.

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[–] Tina (725) 7 months ago

But you think that Walter Matthou has more heart and soul than John Ritter. Okay whatever .

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[–] Tam87 (1253) 7 months ago

Nah I meant Hughes' script for Dennis gave more substance to the overall film including its story and characters ie the story line about Walter Matthau and his wife having no children and seeing Dennis as their own son, that adds depth to the film. Hughes is good at this, he added similar bits to Home Alone and his other family films and it always made a difference.

The Problem Child movies contain scenes such as the kid pissing into a jug which is then sold at a lemonade stand and his neighbor buying a glass, downing it and then describing it as "tangy". Other scenes such as him broadcasting his babysitter having sex to the entire neighbourhood, or him collecting a big pile of dog shit, are equally puerile.

However with that said, Dennis & the Problem Childs are both very different films, enjoyable in their own way. The PC films are more dark comedies, not family films.

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[–] Tina (725) 7 months ago

I don't think that you watched all of Problem Child. It sounds like you're referencing scenes that you saw in the movie trailer.

Healy couldn't have any children with Flo, so Healy adopted Junior.

When you compare that with what you said about Mr. and Mrs. Wilson, you're basically comparing the same thing.

Junior is a menace just as Dennis is supposed to be a menace except Dennis is not that menacing. His mischief was shocking way back in the day but nothing compared to Junior who is actually a menace.

Dennis rhymes with menace and is a catchphrase so perhaps that's why the movie is called Dennis the Menace.

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[–] Kowalski (76235) 7 months ago

DENNIS IS AN UNINTENTIONAL MENACE...JUNIOR IS AN INTENTIONAL TROUBLE MAKER.

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